


Throw me to the ground (and watch me fly)

by Miishae



Category: Dream SMP - Fandom, Video Blogging RPF, mcyt
Genre: Abuse, Angst, Dream is the bad guy, Emotional Manipulation, Gore, Mind Manipulation, Revolution, TommyInnit Whump (Video Blogging RPF), War, Whump, Wilbur Soot and Technoblade and TommyInnit are Siblings, Wings, Wings AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-11
Updated: 2021-03-02
Packaged: 2021-03-17 11:01:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,870
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29349357
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Miishae/pseuds/Miishae
Summary: A president tries to rule a country as fairly as possible. Secrets are uncovered, traitors are chosen. A family is betrayed and cast out from the very country they founded. It’s time to choose a side, lest you be caught in the flames of war and revolution.It’s now time to fly.
Kudos: 28





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This whole au was inspired by a series of other winged aus, and I wanted to try my own hand at it. The biggest inspiration though, is [this story](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28842810/chapters/70748961) by rubyrobotic, weepingalpacafuneral, and Woosh_Official. Please give it a read, it's beautifully written.

It’s the day of the election. Wilbur is nervous, standing on the stage as they await the ballots being counted. He’s wearing his L’Manburg uniform proudly, standing tall. His youngest brother, Tommy, is standing by his side with a matching uniform. Tommy’s wings are folded around his shoulders, and he’s twiddling his fingers nervously, trying to stand up straight. He may only be sixteen years of age, but Tommy has done more for L’Manburg than anyone realizes. Wilbur knows Tommy wants to make everyone proud; it’s written all over the boy’s face. Tommy wants the position of Vice President more than even Wilbur realizes.

Wilbur’s own wings are outstretched as he stands proudly, trying to represent his country as best as he can. He’s staring out at the crowd, trying to ignore the podium on the other side of the stage. His closest friend and opponent, Schlatt, is standing at that podium. Schlatt doesn’t have a running mate, but he had cited not needing one, since he had been confident in his abilities to run L’Manburg on his own. With the aura he radiates, no one had cast him any doubts.

Wilbur especially believes in him. Schlatt had always been loud and commanding. With his sense of humor, sharp sense of fashion, and tall demeanor, people had been willing to bend at the knee for the goat hybrid. Hell, there were a few times that Wilbur himself wouldn’t have minded stepping down to give Schlatt the leadership he probably deserved.

This election had been the solution to that. Wilbur’s confident in his own leadership skills. People respect him and his innate ability to rule fairly, and that respect had risen since he announced an election. Schlatt had been the only one to step up to run against him. They’d kept it friendly, not delving too deep into the toxicity that normally came with politics. They’d agreed that they’d compete against each other with the friendliest of banters, and it had worked wonders. Thus far, the voters seem to be split down the middle.

Now they all stand at their respective podiums, awaiting the results. George is the one counting the ballots, with Niki to help him with anything he might’ve missed. Wilbur can’t tell how close the election is, but he hopes he and Tommy are winning. This is, after all, their country.

After what feels like hours, George moves to the front to stand in front of the microphone. Niki hangs around backstage to lean up, and Wilbur sneaks a glance over his shoulder to smile at her. She doesn’t see him, too caught up in her own job. She disappears behind a door, and Wilbur faces front again to tune in to George’s words.

Next to him, Tommy finally spreads his wings, clearly trying to look as proud as Wilbur. In his peripheral vision, he can see Tommy glancing up at him, so Wilbur places a hand on his brother’s shoulder, silently reassuring him. The gentle touch and unspoken command are heard; Tommy’s exhaling slowly, and straightening his spine, facing out toward the crowd, much like Wilbur is doing now. 

“Nihachu and I counted,” George states, waving a small envelope in his hands. “We have tallied all the ballots and counted them a few times to double-check, but we have a very clear winner. The people knew exactly who they wanted.”

George pauses in his speech to grin first at the current president and vice president, then turning to grin at their opponent. Schlatt clears his throat and adjusts his tie before placing his hands on the podium. Wilbur can see Schlatt’s fingers are trembling. Wilbur wishes he could call out a reassurance, but George is speaking again.

“The new president of L’Manburg,” George begins, pulling a notecard out of the envelope, “Is Jonathan Schlatt!”

There’s a cheer that raises up from the crowd, with a few people even jumping from their seats, as if that would help them cheer louder. Wilbur doesn’t let himself wilt, though he’s sure his expression reveals his disappointment. Next to him, Tommy’s wings lower in visible disappointment, nearly dragging on the ground. The boy’s head is bowed, and even amid the cheering, Wilbur can hear ragged breathing.

Keeping his hand on Tommy’s shoulder, he takes a step back. This drags Tommy back as well. Tommy doesn’t resist the tug, letting himself be tugged off the stage completely. It’s Schlatt’s turn to speak.

“I don’t understand,” Tommy whispers. He looks up at Wilbur with watery eyes, so Wilbur pulls him into a hug, even wrapping his wings around his brother. “We should have won, this was… we built this country! We did this with our bare hands, we should have… fuck!”

“He won a fair election,” Wilbur reminds him. “This is still our country, really. We just have to trust Schlatt to run it with the same ideals we created. Trust him, Tommathy.”

Tommy grins faintly, reaching up to flick a tear away. “I hate it when you call me that. But yeah, you’re right. I trust him.”

“Good lad.” Wilbur ruffles his hair before pulling back, taking Tommy by the hand to lead him back to the crowd. Schlatt hasn’t begun his speech yet, he seems to have been waiting for this moment. Wilbur meets the new president’s gaze and nods once they find their place next to Phil and Techno. Phil wraps Tommy in his own wings to comfort the teenager, while Wilbur finds solace in leaning against Techno. Techno has enough sense to pat Wilbur on the back, before nodding back up toward the stage. Schlatt is taking his place before the microphone, wearing a nervous smile.

In spite of his disappointment, Wilbur is proud of his closest friend. He reaches around Phil to ruffle Tommy’s hair, trying to get the boy’s attention.

“L’Manburg,” Schlatt says. “Man, I don’t even know how to start, except to say _thank you._ I’m so glad all of you participated in this election, casting your votes wisely. I also want to say that even though he lost, this country is still every bit of Wilbur’s as it is mine. He helped found the country we all live and believe in, and I’m still beyond honored to call him a friend. Because that’s what he is, a friend. Not just for me, but for _all_ of us!”

Schlatt pauses to clear his throat, gaze sweeping over the crowd. Wilbur feels his eyes tear up, but he holds them back. He’s not going to weep in front of thousands of people. He re-focuses his attention on Schlatt, who’s speaking again.

“I’m going to run this nation fairly, living up to the ideals Wilbur set up for us. We’re a nation, we stand proud and we’re going to continue fighting for what we believe in. L’Manburg was founded on revolution and a desire for peace, and we’re going to continue pushing for independence, for unity, and become even better than we started off as!” 

There’s a cheer that rises up in the air. Wilbur hears himself cheering alongside them, and he doesn’t realize he’s moving forward until he’s up on stage, leaning against Schlatt with a laugh. His wings wrap around his friend, gold shimmering in the sunlight. This isn’t supposed to happen, but sometimes, Wilbur really can’t help himself.

“Not meaning to interrupt,” Wilbur says with a laugh. He pats Schlatt on the back. “But I’m going to hand the keys to the nation over to someone I trust as much as my own family. I may have founded this country with my brother, but Schlatt’s the one in charge.” There are no physical keys to hand over; the pair behind the microphone understand the symbolism behind this entire event. “Schlatt, I know you will uphold and perfect our ideals and beliefs, and push this country forward into an even better tomorrow.”

There’s more cheering, and it rises in volume when the pair hug it out. This is unorthodox, normally a former president and president-elect would _not_ be hugging, but Wilbur loves and trusts Schlatt, and he’s glad that things are turning out this way after all. He hopes Tommy understands as well.

The event is over. People are dismissing themselves, wandering back to whatever they do with their lives. The streets are filled with chatter and an excited buzz, but Wilbur is more focused on his approaching family. Phil is wearing a proud smile on his face, and Tommy’s eyes are red.

Schlatt reaches over to ruffle Tommy’s hair. “Chin up kid, it’s not over for you.”

Tommy juts his chin out in defiance, trying to look tough. “Shut the fuck up, big man. You’re not so tough, I could still take you on.” Tommy uses his sleeve and uses the cloth to dry his eyes. “In all seriousness Schlatt, I’m proud of you. You’re gonna do us proud, aren’t you?”

Schlatt nods. “I want to. I’m more scared of letting you two down than I am being a leader.” He offers a small smile, gaze flicking toward Wilbur’s wings, then Tommy’s. “Man, I just don’t want to let either of you down.”

“You could _never,”_ Wilbur reassures him. “Schlatt, you’ve got charisma. You’ve got finesse. You’ve got-”

“Wilbur, Wilbur, please. Shut, and I mean this nicely, but shut the fuck up,” Tommy cuts in. “No one wants to hear you two flirt.” He’s leaning against Techno again, with Techno’s wings wrapping around the teen. In between words, it’s easy to tell that Tommy is still disappointed, and is hiding it behind his usual facade.

“Are you sure?” Schlatt asks, rolling his eyes at Tommy. Not out of irritation, but more to keep the conversation rolling. “I’m a little worried if I can be honest with you. Your entire family has wings, Wil. I have goat horns. What if that means people don’t take me seriously? Wouldn’t it be better if I had wings too?”

“Oh.” Wilbur laughs a little too loudly. He’s always hated having this conversation with Schlatt, it comes up more often than he wants to entertain. Schlatt has always been jealous of not being able to fly as Wilbur can. “You don’t need wings to rule, bro. You’re good, people adore you.” He motions around them with his fist. “We should go back home, for dinner. I’m sure Phil would love to prepare a celebratory meal for our president.”

Phil snorts but complies with the unspoken request to head back home. He moves forward, nudging both Techno and Tommy, though he keeps his head turned, watching Wilbur and Schlatt. “Schlatt, I’d be honored if you could join us tonight,” Phil says. “It’d be just like old times.”

“Nah.” Schlatt’s smiling, remaining in place. “I have other things to tend to. I’ll join you another night though, alright? And hey, Tommy?” He reaches out, pressing a palm to Tommy’s shoulder. Tommy stops walking, turning back to look at him. “I heard you cheering the loudest, kid. I know this election meant a lot to you, I know this country means a lot to you, so I’m going to do right by you.”

A pink tinge covers the teen’s cheeks, eyes lighting up in glee. He’s no longer crying, but there is still an air of disappointment surrounding him. Wilbur tries to let his shoulders relax; Tommy had always looked up to the ram hybrid. Schlatt had always gotten along well with Tommy, even delving into the same kind of teasing the other three dished out. There was never a moment where Tommy would feel unsafe, and he hopes, in spite of the event and differing emotions, that Tommy knows that now.

“There’s no way I cheered for you at all,” Tommy snarks. “You were too busy preening your suit during your whole speech. You were so preoccupied with Wilbur you didn’t hear me booing you.” 

“He’s lying,” Techno comments. “Tommy was crying crocodile tears the whole time.” He’s standing a little ways from the group, looking a little uncomfortable. Wilbur’s certain he’s growing uneasy with this much activity and social interaction. Wilbur smiles at him, even laughing a little at his comment as he tugs Techno closer to them. 

“Shut up Techno.” Tommy shoots his older brother a glare. “Jokes aside, don’t worry about me, I can handle anything life throws at me. You won the election fair and square, now we’ll just have to see how long it takes before you run it to the ground.”

“Me, destroying a whole country?” Schlatt places a hand to his chest in mock dismay. “I would _never!”_

Tommy lets out a snort as he steps away from the group, wings finally picking up off the ground. He seems to be cheering up now, which Wilbur is glad for. “I had a dream about you, Schlatt. I dreamt that you took over the country and immediately turned it into a dictatorship and made everyone betray you. Also-” Tommy rushes to continue before anyone can interrupt him, because Phil is trying to shush him. “Also, you banished me and Wilbur from the country, and we formed a rebellion. It was a cool dream, wish it came true.”

“Please.” Schlatt’s grin is now a little too forced. “You know me Tommy, I wouldn’t do anything like that. Wilbur and I are good friends, and you’re as good as my little brother!”

“Never say that again,” Tommy says, trying to appear serious and intimidating. “I don’t need no older brothers, I’m already my own big brother.”

“Alrighty,” Techno jokes. “Guess we can just leave Tommy behind. Everyone else, let’s go home. We don’t have a brother anymore, yup.”

“Of course, of course,” Wilbur continues. He turns to walk along with Techno, with Phil cracking up behind them. “I guess we’ll see you later, Schlatt. The three of us have to get home before it’s too late.”

“Wait.” The realization of being abandoned clearly sets in, because Tommy’s wings are wilting again. “Guys, wait, don’t leave me behind!”

“Why are we walking, when we can just fly?” Techno asks, with an abrupt subject change. Wilbur’s glad for it, because Tommy’s already upset enough, he doesn’t want to give Tommy another reason to cry. Techno waves goodbye to Schlatt before spreading his pink and white wings out, giving them a single shake. “I’m not walking anywhere.”

The rest of the family follows suit. There’s an array of colorful feathers floating in the air; a mix of black, pink, gold, blue, white, all shimmering with every other color of the rainbow. Schlatt stands and watches as the four members of this particular family disappear into the air and out of sight. 

He can’t say he’s not disappointed. He’s always envied their ability to fly, and the beautiful wings they possess. He turns to head back toward his new life though, because up ahead, Niki is waiting for him. She’s wearing a bright smile and is holding a stack of paperwork in her arms. 

She doesn’t have wings either, so Schlatt wonders if that’s okay. He doesn’t need wings to be a decent person, he’s sure. He approaches her, patting her on the shoulder. Niki is offering her own quieter congratulations, and they head for the office. 

What Schlatt doesn’t notice is off in the distance, another winged being is watching. A faceless, endless green void, with matching green and black and white wings, facing the new president. When the crowd finally disperses, the figure too disappears, evidently having seen enough to satisfy him.


	2. Chapter 2

It feels like an ordinary, stupid day. Tommy’s phone alarm goes off, and he wants to hit _snooze_ so he can go back to sleep. When he reaches out to hit the button, he sees what time it is. 

It’s almost eleven in the morning.

With a loud groan, he flings his phone across the room and places his pillow above his head. If he can shut out the day, it won’t happen and he can go back to sleep. For a second, he even forgets why he’s in a bad mood until he hears a knock at his door, followed by Phil telling him to get up. Tommy lays there until he’s sure Phil’s gone back downstairs before he finally drags himself out of bed. The reality of today settles in, and as he kicks the blanket off his feet, he can feel the foul mood settle over him like a mini storm over him and him alone.

It’s been like this for a few days, since the election results. Tommy knows he can’t keep moping over the loss, but he can’t pull himself out of his funk either. No one’s confronted him about it either; it’s like they know he’s miserable and sad, and they’re letting him be sad about it. He half wishes someone would snap him out of it so he can move on, but he’s also glad for the space. The chance to really process his emotions is therapeutic in its own way.

It’s not like it’s easy to turn depression off anyway.

Stumbling for his dresser, he grabs a change of clothes before walking toward the bathroom. It’s unused right now, which he’s grateful for. He can’t tell if his brothers are home or gone, but it doesn’t matter, the bathroom is all his. He closes and locks the door behind him, turns up the shower radio, and proceeds to spend the next hour cleaning himself up. For this hour, he can forget about the outside world as he belts along to a few depressing songs. When he’s done, he turns the radio off and lets himself shiver in the chill air for a moment before putting his clothes on. It’s harder when his wings are still wet, but he manages, finally.

It isn’t until he gets out of the bathroom that Tommy has the sense that something about today is going to be different. He doesn’t know what that means, but he can’t shake the feeling. Maybe it’s the fact that Wilbur isn’t pounding on the door begging to be let in. Maybe it’s the fact he can’t hear Techno yelling from downstairs about something or other.

Come to think of it, he can’t hear Phil anymore either.

He makes his way downstairs, wings dragging on the ground behind him. The house feels eerily empty, which isn’t helping his mood any. At least there’s leftover snacks in the kitchen that he can eat, but Tommy isn’t all that hungry anymore. The food itself doesn’t even look that appetizing, mostly some sandwiches. By the looks of it, there’s only a couple remaining.

He forces himself to eat what’s left. He checks his comms as well, looking for any messages. Other than random public messages that don’t interest him, he doesn’t have any private messages to read through either. There’s no note in the kitchen to tell him where the rest of his family’s gone. He doesn’t feel like searching anywhere else for some note, either. As far as he’s concerned, everyone’s just left him alone for whatever reason. The silence isn’t helping his mood, and Tommy finds himself wondering if he can get away with going back to bed. 

Probably not, as he’s already showered and dressed for the day. He might as well go outside and let the outside world know he’s still alive. There’s also the fact that he _still_ can’t shake the feeling that something’s wrong. Well, not wrong, but that something is different about today. Everything feels slightly to the left and sideways, if that makes any sense. His brain agrees with his logic, so naturally, it must be true. He nods absently at his brain.

There’s only half a sandwich left, so Tommy pushes the plate away. He’s done eating, and he’s not bothered with dealing with the food. In his mind, Phil’s the one who left it out to begin with, so it can be Phil’s problem later. Tommy turns away from the kitchen, pocketing his communicator and exits the house, locking the door behind him. 

L’Manburg is already bustling with life. Neighbors are out and socializing, the streets are busy, and shops are crowded. Already it feels too noisy for Tommy, and he takes a step back, regretting coming outside. He doesn’t want to deal with so many people, he _knows_ that anyone he runs into is going to shoot him looks of pity, or offer their condolences, and the mere thought is enough to give him a headache.

He’s about to turn right back around when a distant voice calls his name.

Blinking, he raises a hand to shield his eyes against the sun to see who’s calling for him. In the distance, he can see Wilbur flying toward him. Next to Wilbur is Niki, who’s running in an attempt to keep up with Wilbur. The sight would be hilarious if Tommy wasn’t already in a bad mood. He doesn’t want to deal with either of them, but he remains in place, making some attempt to pick his wings up. 

“Tommy!” Wilbur looks far too excited for Tommy. Scowling, he crosses his arms and waits for Wilbur to land on the ground. “Tommy, I tried to get a hold of you.” 

“Liar,” Tommy scoffs. He pulls out his communicator and wiggles it with a raised eyebrow. “I have zero messages, Wil. Are you sure it was _me_ you were reaching out to?”

“Oh, I thought he messaged you,” Niki cuts in. She looks out of breath, doubled over with her hands on her knees. She, too, is wearing a smile on her face and looking far too excited to be legal. “We were wanting to get ahold of you earlier, but Phil mentioned you were sleeping over the comms.”

“Do I look like I’m sleeping now?” Tommy scrunches his face up. No longer does he feel depressed, now he’s simply irritated. “Because I’ve been up and showered for…” He pauses to check the time. “Just over an hour now. You had plenty of time to reach out to me, and it would have saved you both the trouble of running all the way back here just for me.”

“Okay, maybe I forgot to message you in my excitement, but I’ve got news for you.” Wilbur stretches his wings out to shake them out, before folding them back. “You’ll love this.”

“He’s got big news,” Niki adds, not at all helpfully. Tommy wants to cover her mouth with duct tape. He doesn’t even know why she’s here; isn’t she supposed to be working at the white house? He can’t imagine there being much free time; it’d been hard enough with him and Wilbur in charge.

“Are you both going to keep me in suspense, or have you come here just to rub shit in my face? Because I have important things to do today.” He leans back when Wilbur moves closer, still looking obnoxious. Tommy has never wanted to punch his brother more than he does now.

Wilbur rolls his eyes as he grabs at Tommy and spins him around. Tommy sputters, trying to pull away from Wilbur, though without much success. The man has an iron grip when he wants to. “What the hell, man? What are you doing? Don’t touch me.”

“I’m making sure you look presentable, Tommy.” Wilbur picks at his clothes, humming to himself. “You have a big meeting coming up today. Sooner, rather than later.”

Tommy swats Wilbur’s hand away in another attempt to put distance between them. “What are you on about, Wilbur? Why won’t you just _tell_ me what’s going on? Stop touching me, my clothes are fine!”

“I can’t just tell you, because you won’t believe me. Here’s what I need you to do though. Are you listening to me?” Wilbur finally pulls back, giving Tommy the desired space. He crosses his own arms and peers down at Tommy.

Tommy makes a big show of rolling his eyes, it includes rolling his head as well. “I have no choice but to listen to you, big man. You’re keeping me pinned down in our front lawn, and I’ve barely started my own day. Where is everyone, anyway? Why have they all left?”

“Oh, I don’t know where Techno went. I think he went somewhere with Skeppy and Bad, and Phil was with- this is all beside the point, Tommy. Okay, listen. This is a big day for us. For _you._ I need you to pick your wings up, put a smile on your face, and fly on over to the white house. I’ve arranged a meeting between you and Schlatt.”

Tommy scowls. He doesn’t like how any of this sounds, he especially doesn’t want to talk to the president. Tommy can’t keep being happy for the man, no matter how close he is to the family, just because he won an election fair and square. Tommy still hates the idea of the election to begin with. He feels like he’d lost everything because of it.

“I don’t want to talk to Schlatt,” Tommy mutters. “You can stop trying to force me to be happy, because I don’t want to be.” He turns around, deciding to head back inside. He’s blocked by one of Wilbur’s wings, so Tommy just grabs at bone, trying to push the wing out of the way. The gold seems especially brighter this time around, and even though Tommy knows it’s the sun glinting off of the feathers, it’s still irritatingly _Wilbur,_ which means the man is going to go all soft on him.

“Tommy.” 

There it is. That gentle, comforting ‘I’m about to cheer you up’ voice that Tommy melts at every time. With a sigh, Tommy slumps forward, letting Wilbur’s wing go as he turns to face his brother. 

“Tommy, I know this hit you harder than most people realize.” Wilbur’s wearing a smile that’s just as bright as his wings. Tommy can feel himself tearing up just at the sight. Not because Wilbur is there, but because Wilbur’s digging at wounds he wants closed. “I know this hurts you. I can see it in your eyes, it’s the way you slouch when you walk. It’s the way you don’t sleep much at night. I know you’re depressed. I know better than anyone how much you’re hurting, which is why I’ve talked to Schlatt to begin with.”

“Don’t, Wilbur.” Tommy tries to pull back, but he bumps into Niki. She has to know too. He realizes that’s why she’s here, is to offer comfort of her own. He’s torn between pulling away from both of them, and seeking out comfort he wouldn’t normally get. “Don’t try to cheer me up, okay? We lost, and I’m okay with that.” 

“It’s okay Tommy,” Niki says. Her own voice matches Wilbur’s, and now Tommy’s cringing. He wants to plug his ears and not listen to this. “You’re allowed to feel things, you’re allowed to be sad. Your brother just wants to help, you don’t have to feel obligated to listen to him.” She reaches out a hand, as if to offer physical comfort, but after Wilbur’s manhandling, Tommy pulls back. 

“Don’t touch me, just...stop. Wilbur, _stop._ You don’t have to do anything for me, alright? I’m a big man, I can handle myself just fine.”

“You might think you’re okay, but we all can tell you’re not,” Wilbur says. He’s no longer sounding so gentle. It’s still there, but it’s now laced with a firmness that Tommy only hears when Wilbur is annoyed. “You’re going to this meeting, alright? I don’t even know what Schlatt has planned, I just wanted him to help you feel better. Let’s go. Pick your wings up and fly with me.”

“What about me?” Niki asks. She frowns at Wilbur. “You can’t leave me behind.”

“I’ll carry you, of course.” Wilbur snorts. “I told you to stay behind in the first place, it was your choice to chase after me.” He playfully pushes her before reaching out to grab at one of Tommy’s wings. “Let’s go _big man.”_

Tommy swats at Wilbur’s hand again before taking the initiative to spread his own wings out, letting the sun hit the blues and whites just right. “Fine,” he agrees. “Lead the way, Wilbur.”

Wilbur wraps his arms around Niki and flaps his wings, hoisting himself up off the ground. He hovers in the air, watching as Tommy follows suit. It’d been a few days since Tommy had flown, so he feels rusty, but he’s lifting himself up after Wilbur. It takes another few flaps before he can stay in the air. 

“You got it?” Wilbur’s watching him with another expression of concern. Tommy shrugs before lifting himself higher, feeling more confident in the air. 

“Yeah, lead the way.” He motions Wilbur ahead. Wilbur turns, adjusting Niki in his arms, and soars off, rising higher into the air. Tommy exhales when the wind hits his face, relishing the feeling of being in the air again. He’d forgotten how nice it feels to just _fly,_ and for a brief moment, he feels all the uneasiness and sadness melt away. He even manages a genuine smile when he sees Wilbur doing flips in the air, just to watch him. Niki’s even waving at him. 

He can’t remember why he’d been so down to begin with. Or rather, he wants to forget being in a bad mood. When they finally land in front of the white house, everything settles back in like a heavy blanket, and he feels negativity washing across him again. Wings drooping, he considers planting himself down right here, but Wilbur is grabbing his arm anyway. 

“Come on Tommy, don’t be like this. You were fine a second ago. Call that feeling back, yeah?” He’s still smiling, so Tommy leans against him for comfort. He expects Wilbur to push him away, but instead, Wilbur is wrapping an arm around him and guiding him inside. “I’m here, I’ll stick by you the whole time, okay? It’s just Schlatt, so we’ll be okay.”

They make their way up to Schlatt’s office. Tommy keeps his head ducked the whole time, not wanting to make eye contact with anyone else who works here. Office worker, cabinet members and... 

“Tommy!” Schlatt’s booming, cheerful voice cuts through his thoughts. Startled, Tommy reels back. Schlatt is walking toward them, already gesturing toward his office. “Tommy, just the man I wanted to see!”

Even Schlatt is wearing a bright smile. It’s hard for Tommy to be depressed when even Schlatt is radiating warmth. Why does everyone have to be so _nice_ to him? He knows he’d been that obvious, but he doesn’t know why today of all days, everyone is treating him so nicely. 

“Okay, what’s going on?” Tommy asks. Schlatt places a hand on Tommy’s back, right between his wings and pushes him into the office. “What are all of you up to, what sort of meeting is this?”

“Tommy, Wilbur was telling me you’ve been depressed,” Schlatt continues. He sits in his chair, gesturing for Tommy to sit down on the sofa along the wall. “Please, have a seat.” 

Tommy looks around before sitting down. It’s just him and Wilbur in the office; Niki had disappeared somewhere, probably to go back to work. Wilbur’s shutting the office door, so Tommy resigns himself to following orders. He folds his wings carefully and sits carefully on the edge of the couch, resting his hands in his lap.

“Tommy, Wilbur was telling me you’ve been sad,” Schlatt repeats. “So I have an offer for you. I haven’t even told Wilbur this, but I’ve been contemplating something for a few days anyway.”

“What, you’re going to hold a parade in my honor?” Tommy scoffs, briefly making eye contact with the president. He looks back down, not able to hold it for long. Schlatt is still staring at him; Tommy can feel the stare boring a hole through his skull and it’s making him uncomfortable.

“I ran by myself, Tommy. I don’t have a second in command.”

Schlatt really doesn’t beat around the bush. The news is significant somehow, but Tommy’s cold. He’s not sure why he’s cold, but it’s as if the heat had been sucked out of the office all at once, leaving him shivering. He has a brief flashback to when he’d stood shivering after his shower. At the time, he didn’t know why he chose to be cold, but now everything is starting to feel important. Everything is flipping sideways and left all over again, and in confusion, he stares back up at Schlatt.

“What?”

He hates that his voice is small and uncertain. But he can’t raise the volume, he can’t bring himself to move. Hell, he’s struggling to _breathe._ “What are-” 

“Breathe, Tommy.” Wilbur’s rubbing his back, pressing his knuckles right in between his shoulder blades and working his way up. “Tommy, you need to relax.”

“Tommy, listen.” Schlatt lifts himself from the chair and perches on his desk instead. “I know this probably should go to Wilbur, but I was there with you both when you built this country. I know how much work and sacrifice you both went through to make it what it is today. What Tommy sacrificed to Dream.”

“We’re cool with Dream I think,” Tommy whispers. He’s trembling. “Schlatt I don’t… I’m not…”

“Tommy, I’m asking _you_ to be my vice president. My second in command. No one knows this country better than you do, no one else loves this country more than you.”

He blinks back tears. “But… Wilbur…?”

Wilbur shakes his head. “I had my run. I had my run for months, and it was great. But I lost the election, Tommy. It’d be really awful for Schlatt to up and make me vice president. You get a pass because you weren’t running for president, and he’s well within his rights to choose someone who would help him.”

The urge to say ‘no’ is strong. He wants to spread his wings and jump out the nearest window, to get away from this. It’s pity, that’s what it is. Schlatt is only offering this because they all want Tommy to stop moping in his bedroom. _Tommy_ wants to stop moping in his bedroom, and he doesn’t know how else to turn it off. 

What would be the harm, anyway? Who is it hurting if he accepted the position? Quackity would support him, Niki would be ecstatic, everyone would support him.

And Tommy? 

Tommy would be elated to have some semblance of control over this country. Slowly, he gets to his feet, still feeling numb. Half of his mind is screaming no, the other half is screaming yes. To be vice president would mean everything though, he’d be an idiot to refuse. 

“Yes,” Tommy finally says. His voice cracks on the single utterance, but the grin is reappearing on his face. Schlatt’s grin is bigger now as he offers a hand for Tommy to shake. 

“Glad to have you aboard Tommy. We’ll make a formal announcement soon to let everyone know.”

“I promise I’ll…” he trails off, trying to find the right words to say. What does a vice president even say? It’s time to sound professional now, and he even straightens his posture, letting his wings spread. He’s too caught up in the moment to notice the way Schlatt is staring at his wings.

“I promise I’ll help maintain this country’s dignity,” he finally says. “I do my best to...um. To… to uphold all the values we established.” He glances sideways at Wilbur, who beams.

“Very fitting words Tomathy. I’ve taught you well.” Wilbur ruffles Tommy’s hair before pulling back. “I’m so proud of you. Both of you; my best friend and my little brother, running the country together. You’ll make me _so_ proud.”

“Yeah?” Tommy giggles. Neither of them notice the frozen smile on Schlatt’s face, or the way his eyes are wide, or the way he’s clenching one hand into a fist.

Or the way he’s still staring at their wings.

When Tommy turns back to him, Schlatt instantly warms again, patting Tommy on the shoulder. “Right, Mr. Vice president. I’ll expect to see you at work soon. Better come prepared and dressed for the job, right?”

“Of course.” Tommy feels so much better than he’s felt in days. “I won’t let you down.”

“Go on, get out of here. You and Wilbur can go celebrate. I have things to tend to here. I’ll see you in a day or two though, ready to work.”

Tommy and Wilbur wave goodbye as they leave the office. The teen feels lighter all over again, and this time when he walks, his wings don’t drag on the ground. He may be sixteen years olds, but he’d been saddled with a very important position, and he’s not about to let _his_ country down.


	3. Chapter 3

The office is unusually quiet this time of night. Normally, Niki or Quackity would be hovering nearby, but evidence shows they’d left early, probably due to the random announcement Schlatt had made, concerning Tommy. He’d been so sure of himself in the initial moment, and after Tommy left, Schlatt had promptly announced it to the entire white house staff. The majority of them had seemed pretty stoked, especially considering Tommy already had experience with leadership and power; it was natural he’d be the perfect fit.

However, now that the adrenaline is wearing off, Schlatt isn’t so sure of himself. Tommy hadn’t seemed as excited as everyone else, and he can’t figure out why. It hadn’t been until he’d agreed to take on the role of vice president that his wings lifted up off the ground, and he’d seemed happy. There had been something off about the teen this time, and Schlatt feels like he’d been played.

It has to be Wilbur’s fault.

No, he’s not going to start thinking like that. Wilbur had never lied to him, Wilbur had never once led him astray. The man was always honest with his words and intentions, and if he had wanted Tommy to be vice president the whole time, he’d have made that perfectly clear. Schlatt has to admit that this had been entirely his idea. It doesn’t mean he’s happy about it.

Who would be? He’d appointed a sixteen year old to be _vice president_ of an entire country. It doesn’t matter if Tommy had helped create and build it, he’s still a teenager and should be treated as such. Schlatt wonders if it’s too late to take it all back, to find someone else who’s older. Then again, Tommy does have the most experience out of everyone who works under him. Tommy would know best how things are run, or supposed to be.

There’s also the question of whether or not Tommy can follow orders. The teen is known to be very stubborn, with an inability to listen very well. Would the new president have his hands full? He hopes not. Tommy is the younger brother of his closest friend, Schlatt has to put trust in the entire family as a whole. They would never betray him. _Tommy_ would never betray him.

He hopes.

Coming back to reality has Schlatt realizing he’s still sitting in his office. He’s still behind his desk, staring at the dark oak, the computer that’s shut off, and the mess of papers scattered around the edge of his desk. Had his office been like this when the others were here, or had he messed it up somewhere in between then and now? He had been jovial when Wilbur and Tommy had been here, sitting on his desk and creating a mess. He barely remembers the meeting though, but that logic does make the most sense.

With a sigh, Schlatt leans forward, reaching out to grab at the mess in some hurried attempt to organize it. He wants to get home and relax. Being here in just making him think strange things, like feeling resentment toward a kid. There’s a mess of papers that still need to be sorted too, like documenting the new addition to leadership.

That alone is going to be another several signatures and faxes for official purposes. Tommy’s going to need a letterhead of his own. Fuck.

“Knock knock?” 

The voice is not what he had expected to hear, and it comes with a slight reverb. Schlatt jumps out of his chair, glaring at his door frame. He’d expected Quackity or Wilbur to come back, so to see Dream standing there is different. Dream has no business being in the white house. Schlatt narrows his eyes, but beckons him into the office anyway. If Dream’s there, it’s bound to be something important.

“It’s after hours, Dream. To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?”

“It’s fine, it’s fine.” The mask on Dream’s face is the only emotion being shown. The rest of him is nothing but a sea of green, with only the vaguest of silhouettes to show he has some shape to him. Schlatt finds himself wondering _what_ Dream even is, if not human. Angel? The wings on Dream’s back would indicate as much. The faceless, endless green would also indicate as much.

“Schlatt, I came because I had a feeling you needed some help.”

“No thank you.” He offers a smile as he stacks papers. Maybe the paperwork can wait until tomorrow. He’s itching to go home at this point. “I’m a very busy man.” 

“Oh, don’t worry! I didn’t come to take over your job. I wanted to bring up a few concerns I had.” Dream walks further into the office, pressing his hands to the desk. The more Schlatt looks at him now, the more he can see a humanoid figure. He can see a faint outline of a face underneath the mask, too. There’s an urge to ask what creature Dream is, but Schlatt bites his tongue. That would probably be a rude question to ask in the first place.

“What concerns?” He asks. “I wasn’t aware that I needed help from someone like you.”

“Everyone always needs me for something.” Dream pushes the mask up, showing his mouth. There’s a grin on his face that doesn’t exactly give off a friendly aura. “It’s why I’m here, Schlatt. I’m always needed, whether or not people realize it.”

Sitting back down, Schlatt gestures for the sofa. “Alright Dream, if you’re so smart, then enlighten me. What could I possibly need any help with?”

“Tommy, of course.” Dream takes the silent offer and perches himself in the middle of the couch. He spreads his wings out, overtaking the length on either side of him. Feather flutter to the floor, as if Dream had detached them himself. Shades of black, white and green feathers fall all over the place, almost like they’re taunting him for his lack of wings. Schlatt can’t help but stare at them. He continues to stare until Dream clears his throat, causing his gaze to snap back to the entity.

“Tommy,” Dream repeats. “You appointed him vice president earlier today, if I’m not mistaken. You’re having doubts about the position because of his age. There’s more to it than that though, isn’t there?”

The blood drains out of his face. _How does Dream know about that?_ He’s sure Dream hadn’t been in the office when he told Tommy, unless Dream has the ability to turn invisible. That thought is unlikely.

“How...how do you know that? I barely even told the rest of the white house staff.” Schlatt’s gripping his desk now, refusing to look in Dream’s direction. His mind is racing, trying to come up with every likely scenario possible. More than that, it’s the thought that Dream had just hinted he knows there’s more to the situation. He knows Schlatt is doubting himself. _How_ does he know that?

“It doesn’t have to make sense,” Dream says softly. “Nothing has to make sense for it to exist. Life itself doesn’t make sense. Why else would a sixteen year old help build an entire nation?” He tilts his head to the side. When Schlatt looks at him this time, there’s no trace of humanity in him. He’s back to being a vivid, bright shade of green that’s almost blinding. The wings seem to be glowing as well. Dream is painful to look at. Yet, he’s radiating a sympathetic aura that Schlatt almost finds comfort in. Someone who _understands_ him…

Wait. Dream is speaking about sense while not making any himself. He shouldn’t be listening to the words coming out of the entity’s mouth. 

“What are you doing, Dream?” Schlatt asks. “You can’t come in here and start acting like you know what I’m thinking. I trust Wilbur, and I trust Tommy. Furthermore, you can’t possibly know things unless you were actually here.”

“But I was here, and I do know things.” Dream folds his wings around himself, once again drawing his gaze. “I see the way you’re staring at my wings, Mr. President. I’ve seen the way you stare at their wings too. Anyone with half a brain cell can tell you’re jealous.”

“I’m not jealous.” The reply is immediate, terse and overly defensive. He winces at his tone, trying to backpedal. “I’m not exactly fully human myself, you know.” A grin is forced onto his face as he turns his head to the side. “See these horns? I’m also a hybrid. I have nothing to be jealous _of_ , especially not wings.”

“Yeah, that’s obvious.” Dream’s mask seems to smile wider. “Everyone can see you’re a goat hybrid, it’s not exactly a secret. I wouldn’t mind being a goat hybrid, the horns are pretty cool.”

“I guess.” Schlatt’s already done with this conversation. If kept up, they’d go around in circles with this pointless small talk.

“You want wings though, don’t you? It’s why you’ve always kept Wilbur close. You’re clearly hoping to gain something out of the friendship. So I’ve come to offer that to you.”

“That’s not true.” Schlatt abruptly gets to his feet. He’s done with this conversation, and he’s tired of Dream poking holes in his life. It’s decidedly not fun having some godlike entity poking at his vulnerability, pretending to know and understand him. He especially doesn’t like the insinuation that he’s using Wilbur.

Whatever spell Dream is attempting to weave is shattered the second he’s on his feet. “Wilbur’s been a great friend to me, his family’s wonderful. They’re great people, very law-abiding and upstanding. I’m not going to let anyone talk me out of my decisions.”

“If you say so.” Dream stretches out his wings again, mirroring Schlatt. He’s on his feet, and there’s that faint outline of a human face beneath the mask. Schlatt can see freckles. “It’s clear you don’t trust Tommy though.”

“I trust him just fine,” Schlatt snaps. “I think it’s time you leave.” He waves toward the door. “He’s already had a hand in running this country, I know he’ll continue to uphold it to my liking.”

“Yeah, but he said ‘maintain its dignity.’ It’s like he doesn’t trust you, Schlatt. You’re smart enough to see right through him.” Dream lets out a giggle as he moves toward the door, wings fluttering. Dream is still taunting him, and feathers are still floating around. Schlatt has a vision of himself burning every last feather left on his floor.

“I’m busy,” he says instead. “I have a lot of work to complete before I go home, and you’re just taking up time with random bullshit that’s not even true.”

“Oh, of course, of curse.” Dream nods. “Because you don’t wear your emotions on your sleeve, and you don’t get moody whenever someone calls you out on your own bullshit. You’re the president, Mr. Schlatt, you definitely know what’s best for this country.”

“I was elected, wasn’t I?” Again, he waves toward the door. “It was a fair election, and even Wilbur conceded. I’m the one in charge. Don’t come into _my_ office and start trying to dictate things to me. You’re not even a citizen.”

“No, but considering this country is in the middle of my land, I think I have a right to express my concerns. I was under the impression you shared them. I’ll admit I was wrong though, once you admit that maybe, just _maybe,_ I know you better than you think I do.”

Schlatt shakes his head. “You don’t know me at all if you think anything about what you said is true.”

“So why constantly stare at their wings? Or mine, for that matter? It’s like you’re hypnotized. I know that look, I’ve seen it before. It’s envy to an unhealthy degree.”

“Because they’re pretty, duh.” Schlatt rolls his eyes. “The only thing you might be right about is the fact that Tommy’s young.”

“Oh, I didn’t say that part.” The mask seems to grow even wider. If Schlatt squints, he thinks he can see teeth in that poorly drawn smile. It’s downright terrifying, and the implications that Dream has more power than anyone knows is even more so. “You said that, not me. I just said to you that he might be a problem.”

“He’s sixteen years old. Anyone with, what was it you said? _Half a brain cell-_ would be concerned about his leadership skills.” Schlatt is no longer feeling so tired. Adrenaline is pumping through his body, making him feel on edge. Something about Dream’s presence is unsettling, and Schlatt wants to put as much distance between them as possible. “This is my country, and I get to make the final decisions.”

“But it’s not really your country though, is it?” Dream’s hovering in the door frame now, as if that too is framing his silhouette. Everything about him seems to be glowing, and Schlatt once again is staring. This time, with disgust rather than awe. “You appointed the person who found it as vice president. I mean, I didn’t come here to tell you what to do or how to run things. Yeah, it’s your country, but you just ensured that Tommy’s always going to have a say in how things are done. I’m not sure you’re not his puppet anymore.”

“Get out,” Schlatt snarls. “I’m busy, and you’re just throwing random shit out there and hoping to get under my skin. I’m not falling for it, alright? You’re not even supposed to be here. You’re not part of the cabinet, you’re trespassing and it’s after hours. Don’t make me page security.”

“What security?” Dream laughs. “Alright, I’m going. Just remember though, Tommy never lost power. You might be president, but he still has a lot of power and ability to sway people. Where he’s concerned, I’d watch your back.” 

“Goodbye, Dream.” Schlatt marches around the desk and slams the door shut. He can hear Dream laughing as he leaves the floor, before the sound abruptly stops. It’s hard to tell if Dream had just left the building or vanished into thin air. He doesn’t even know if Dream can _do_ that. 

He goes back to his desk and stares at the mess of papers. He hadn’t made much headway in cleaning up his office, but now he’s especially not feeling it. He thinks back to Dream’s wings and how bright they were. 

Why can’t he get them out of his head? 

Why can’t he get Tommy’s wings out of his head? 

The doubts he’d had earlier come back full swing. He’s not sure Tommy is a good fit for the position of vice president, and previous experience no longer matters. Still, the decision is made, it’d be shitty of him to go back on his word just because of some stupid green entity that likes to play around with words. Schlatt just has to trust in himself. Plus, the other employers will help keep Tommy in line, no doubt.

He’s the president, he’s not going to let anyone forget that. He’s the one in charge, and Schlatt is going to _remain_ in charge. This is his country, the people wanted him in charge.

No idiot with wings, no matter who they are, is going to take that from him. He can instate Wilbur as part of the cabinet and it doesn’t prove anything other than Schlatt deciding who rules with him.

He mutters to himself angrily as he finally cleans up the paperwork. He’ll sort it all out later, when Tommy starts his first day. They’ll work on the letterhead, on the signatures and policies and everything Tommy might need to know, and it’ll be fine. 

When finished, he shuts off the lights and heads out, turning back only once to glance at the dark building behind him. By this point the sun had long since set. Streetlamps are the only source of light as he wanders down the path. Hardly anyone is out at this time, most citizens either heading to their homes or enjoying a night on the town. 

As for him? He goes home. He has a busy career ahead of him and he’s going to take any downtime he can.


End file.
